The common complaint of all true Christians
(You will find it helpful to Listen to the Audio, as you read the text below.)
"I have sinned against the Lord!" 2 Samuel 12:13
This is the common complaint of all true Christians.
They desire an entire conformity to the mind of God.
They pant after universal holiness.
They labor to get their affections supremely fixed upon Christ and Heaven.
They long for the complete victory over indwelling sin, and the perishing vanities of the world.
Yet they find, to their inexpressible grief, that when they would do good, evil is present with them; mixing itself with all their holy aims and desires—so that they are constrained to cry out, "O what a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death?" Romans 7:24
This experience greatly humbles the Christian pilgrim, while traveling through the wilderness world.
He sees that he has no righteousness of his own.
He knows that of himself, he can do nothing to please God.
This makes Christ unspeakably precious to him.
This conviction of inward pollution, unseen by the eye of man—drives him to the throne of grace, so that he may receive mercy and find grace to help him in his time of need.
Feeling his inability to think one good thought, or exercise one holy affection, without the grace and power of Jesus—drives him to sit daily at His feet . . .
to hear His Word,
to receive out of His fullness,
to imbibe His spirit,
and to copy His example.
Such is the experience and practice, not of one, but of all the faithful servants of Jehovah. Oh! that I may be found among these chosen vessels of the Lord.
I have to mourn over my spiritual deadness, lukewarmness, and earthly mindedness. I am grieved that my heart is so cold towards God, when He is so gracious and merciful to me! By the grace of God, I abhor these evils!
"Have mercy on me, O God,
according to Your unfailing love;
according to Your great compassion,
blot out my transgressions.
Wash away all my iniquity,
and cleanse me from my sin.
For I know my transgressions,
and my sin is always before me!" Psalm 51:1-3